Transparency

6.1.1 Extent to which CCAMLR is operating in a transparent manner, taking into account the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries Article 7.1.9

Recommendation

Responsible body

Activities to date

Status

6.1.1.1 The RP acknowledged CCAMLR’s efforts to engage with a wide range of Observers and encouraged CCAMLR to continue its efforts to maximise its transparency and seek broader input to decision-making, particularly through the engagement of Observers at its annual meetings. Options to improve transparency with respect to the engagement of Observers might include:

(a) reviewing and, as appropriate, amending the relevant Rules of Procedure of the Commission (Rules 30 to 35). More specifically, subparagraphs (b) to (e) of Rule 30 might extend the notion of participation to all Observers (rather than only to Observers held under Rule 30(a)). Such a review might also re-examine the issue of restricting attendance of Observers (Rule 33(b)), as well as the right of veto contained in Rule 34(a);

(b) consideration as to the appropriate timing for Observer reports to be taken, as well as providing explicit advice to Observers on the expected nature and scope of their reports.

6.1.2 Extent to which CCAMLR decisions, meeting reports, scientific advice upon which decisions are made, and other relevant materials are made publicly available in a timely fashion

Recommendation

Responsible body

Activities to date

Status

6.1.2.1 The RP commended CCAMLR, and in particular the Secretariat, on the considerable effort that it has made to ensure that material, such as meeting reports, are made available to Members, Observers and the public in a timely manner.

Commission

By 2016, all meeting reports are available to Members on the Commission’s website a few days after the Meeting in English and in all other Commission languages within a week of the conclusion of the Meeting when they are also available in the public domain. Mid-year working group meeting reports are only made available in the public domain after they have been considered at the annual meeting of the Scientific Committee.

Commission - Complete

6.1.2.2 However, this efficiency will likely deteriorate unless either (i) greater focus is made on ensuring the succinctness of meeting reports, or (ii) considerably more resources are made available to the Secretariat to enable it to continue to meet the current timelines for report production and distribution. The RP favoured the former of these two options.

Commission

(2008)SC-CAMLR-XXVII, paragraph 10.10.
Timeliness of report production has significantly improved since approximately 2013. This has been achieved without additional resources being made available to the Secretariat.
The scope and content of Meeting Reports has not received substantive attention in either the Scientific Committee, its Working Groups or the Commission.

Commission – In progress – advanced steps

6.1.2.3 Furthermore, the RP saw virtue in CCAMLR agreeing a more ‘streamlined’ structure for its reports (as had been done for the SCAF Report in 2002).

Commission and subsidiary bodies

See above 6.1.2.2 and 7.2.2.5 (below)

Commission – In progress - advanced steps

6.1.2.4 The RP recommended a redevelopment of the website so as to improve its utility in supporting CCAMLR’s work and its accessibility as a tool for education and broader outreach purposes.

See, for example, CCAMLR-XXXI/BG/12 Rev. 1
Significant redevelopment work commenced in early 2011 and effectively resulted in a new website.
In 2014, the Secretariat introduced a Meeting Server providing an environment to support CCAMLR meetings that is synchronised with the website.
There was a slight decrease in the number of sessions on the CCAMLR website (145 176 in 2016 as opposed to 146 992 in 2015; –1.24%) and the number of users (75 289 vs 78 249, –3.78%). However, visitors were spending more time on the site (00:04:40 vs 00:04:34, +2.31% per session).
In relation to outreach, the number of followers of CCAMLR’s Facebook page increased by about 1 000 to almost 15 000 followers by August 2016. The reach of posts to CCAMLR’s Facebook page increased relative to 2015 routinely reaching around 1 000 people. A number of posts were seen by over 6 000 people.
The availability of meeting document titles and abstracts has led to increased discoverability and document requests. In the 12 months to August 2016, 133 documents were requested.

Primary redevelopment of the website is complete. Ongoing further development of additional functionality.